The secretary at the door tried to stop him, but Ruan Xinglan’s gentle smile and mild tone made him seem trustworthy.
“I’m your president’s brother, his biological brother. Are you new here? Could you tell me where my brother is right now?”
He was incredibly handsome, with a charm that made it hard not to believe him. His eyes curved slightly as he smiled, giving an impression of deep affection. The secretary couldn’t help but soften her stance.
“You’re really President Ruan’s brother?”
“Yes, here’s my ID chip. You can verify it; it won’t be wrong. If you’re still unsure, you can check with President He; he knows me.”
Hearing this, the secretary was almost convinced, though she still felt the need to confirm. Once she verified his identity, she informed him that President Ruan was currently in a meeting.
“That’s fine. I’ll wait for him in his office.”
He exuded an air of warmth and understanding, making people feel at ease. The secretary agreed readily and let him through.
Little did she know, once he entered, he gracefully opened his briefcase and, in no time, assembled a small robot.
Ruan Xinglan placed the robot on Ruan Fengsi’s desk, gently tapping its smooth head with his finger, his voice carrying a hint of cold amusement.
“Take good care of my brother for me.”
After that, he casually pulled out his terminal, dialed a random number, and stepped outside, apologizing to the secretary with a polite smile.
“I have urgent matters to attend to and might not be able to wait for my brother. Please let him know that I’ll be waiting for him at home once he’s done with his meeting.”
Ruan Xinglan’s performance was so convincing that the secretary didn’t suspect a thing. He left smoothly, his light, graceful steps almost resembling a dance, attracting quite a few curious glances from people nearby.
When Ruan Fengsi returned from his meeting, he was immediately informed that his brother had been by.
Ruan Fengsi: “???”
“Which brother?”
As he asked, he pushed open the office door—and in an instant, his instincts screamed danger as he sensed something off in the room.
“The one who looked very gentle. He said he was your biological brother.”
“Damn!” Ruan Fengsi swore, quickly shoving the secretary aside.
The secretary went flying three meters, landing on the floor in shock, just as a blast of energy hit the spot where Ruan Fengsi had been standing. Ruan Fengsi, as if he had expected it, dodged nimbly.
But it didn’t end there. A small robot was now chasing him, firing relentlessly. In moments, most of the items in the office were reduced to ruins.
The secretary stood there, dumbfounded, completely lost. What on earth was happening?
Finally, Ruan Fengsi lifted a chair and smashed it onto the robot, then stomped on it until it broke apart. Bending down with a dark expression, he picked up the fragment of a Qirin tiger-patterned felt, a storm brewing around him.
The secretary, trembling: “…”
So, what exactly just happened?
“Ruan! Xing! Lan! I’m gonna kill you!”
Ruan Fengsi didn’t even need to think twice to know who was behind this. And that secretary’s description of “gentle”? As if! There wasn’t anything more cunning or devious in this world than that scoundrel Ruan Xinglan!
He turned, his expression twisted with anger, and glared at the secretary, who shivered under his gaze.
“Where did that rascal go?”
The secretary stammered, “Your brother said he’d be waiting for you at home.”
At the moment, Ruan Fengsi was in a bit of a disheveled state. Even though Ruan Xinglan’s little robot was small, its destructive power had been enormous, and his clothes were torn to shreds.
Ripping off his tie, Ruan Fengsi stormed out. “Get someone to fix up my office. All other matters today go to the vice president.”
He was heading home to deal with his “good” little brother!
No sooner had he left than the secretary stood there, speechless. “…”
So, is this the live-action version of “brotherly love”?
—
That afternoon, Ruan Shu made herself some cookies and cake. With a cup of milk tea in hand, she sat on the sofa, her little legs dangling and swinging as she watched a live stream. In front of her on the table was a book she was flipping through and a notebook where she’d already jotted down notes about several types of mutated plants she saw on the stream.
She was realizing she had a particular interest in mutated plants.
Apparently, there was a special garden where one could view these kinds of plants in person. Maybe she could ask her brother or grandfather to take her there sometime?
As she finished her milk tea, the straw making soft slurping sounds in the empty cup, someone walked through the door.
Ruan Shu craned her neck and saw a stranger standing there!
Her eyes went wide with surprise. “W-Who are you?”
She nudged her pet, Xiaomi, with her foot, ready to call for help if needed.
The visitor, raising an eyebrow at her reaction, walked closer. “Why don’t you take a guess?”
The person’s voice was clear and soft, with a gentle, jade-like aura. They smiled warmly, their black hair framing a pair of glasses, with striking, green eyes.
Their eyes curved slightly in what seemed like a friendly smile, giving a comforting and approachable vibe.
But…
Ruan Shu felt like something was just a bit… off about that smile.
Was it just her imagination?
Scratching her face nervously, she eyed the young man with a hint of caution, her fingers twisting together.
“I… I don’t…”
Just as she was about to admit she didn’t know, something her big brother had once mentioned suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Don’t be fooled by your second brother’s appearance.”
She remembered even asking her third brother about her second brother out of curiosity, and he had given her the same warning.
“He may look polite and refined, but he’s a complete maniac—a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He uses that harmless-looking face to trick people all the time. Don’t let him fool you.”
Ruan Shu subtly leaned back, sneaking a few more glances at this person, and it seemed like she finally understood.
With a burst of sudden realization, she leaped off the sofa, her bare feet hitting the floor, and sprinted a full 800 meters (or at least as close as she could manage with her little legs), with her pet Xiaomi in tow, all while calling out in a soft yet terrified voice.
“Grandpa Butler! Second Brother is back!”
This was the first time Ruan Xinglan had faced such a clear-cut rejection, and he was momentarily speechless: “…”
His smile slowly faded, and he clicked his tongue in mild annoyance.
He had expected her to be easy to fool. Who would’ve thought her sense of caution would be so strong?
Though, if he spent any time around Ruan Shu, he’d realize that her wariness wasn’t usually this sharp. She was simply an obedient child who listened to her brothers. And, given that he genuinely had a history of bombing their elder brother, her reaction was completely justified.
But little legs were still just little legs. Ruan Xinglan took two or three steps and easily caught up, lifting the barefoot little dumpling off the ground.
He gazed at her with a mischievous glint as she looked back at him, her expression full of panic.
“What are you running for? Do you think I’m going to eat you?”